


Romantic For A Leaf [21/52]

by andrea_deer



Series: 52 aspec drabbles/ficlets of 2017 [21]
Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: 52 aspec drabbles, Aromantic Character, Arthur being helpful, Arthur/OFC - Freeform, Asexual Character, F/M, In a good way!, M/M, Unrequitted feelings, a bit of angst, background ships, discovering thr word for your feelings, herc/carolyn, lithromantic character, one-sided Martin Crieff/Douglas Richardson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 10:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12479012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrea_deer/pseuds/andrea_deer
Summary: "So you're like lithromantic?"Douglas blinks in surprise."I have no idea what that is, and I'm quite frankly shocked that you do. And that you can say a word that long."21st of 52 drabbles!





	Romantic For A Leaf [21/52]

Douglas doesn't get married for the fourth time.

He thinks about it sometimes.

When he chats up a lady in a bar and they have a good time. He remembers how much fun it is to talk to someone, flirt shamelessly and enjoy the company of a beautiful woman.

He thinks about it on Herc's and Carolyn's wedding, because hey, maybe three time is not the charm. Maybe fifth time will make it. It worked for Herc, it seems. They're both disgustingly happy, snapping at each other all the time and stealing affectionate glances like they're teenagers. Carolyn tries to be sneaky about it at least, though went caught she just raises an eyebrow in the classic _"So what? what you're going to do about it? I'm not embarrassed!"_ before she turns away, fake boredom carefully painted on her face. Herc just looks like a besotted idiot that he is.

Douglas thinks about marriage when the holidays come and he's alone. He spent last year with Martin, it was fun. Mostly because he convinced Martin that the best way to avoid meeting potential-future-in-laws too early and being stuck with his own, far less royal, but a not less annoying family was to simply tell both parts he is spending Christmas with the other one and just stay at Douglas's. Martin in a frenzy while trying to lie was better than any Christmas movie.

Theresa figured it out by the second phone call and niggled Martin until he confessed everything and she called him a silly bean who was just supposed to tell her things like that.

Mostly because she needed to know when he got overwhelmed more than usual. But also partly because she wanted to be on a scheme and escape to Douglas' too.

Douglas took it as a compliment, but did not believe for a second he will be granted another Christmas like this. Martin was off to become a royal family member and he needed to come to terms with that.

Douglas faces the idea of empty, lonely Christmas in his empty house and gets himself a trip to Thailand instead.

He is not made for solitude, he needs people around and in a way, he does have them. He sees Carolyn and Herc often enough, Arthur is almost a constant bother and a solid noise creator. Martin calls at least once a fortnight and Douglas always makes time for that. Whether he is alone or playing cards with Kurt and the boys, or going to the pool, or eating at a fancy restaurant to treat himself... He walks out of a few rooms containing few beautiful dates or dear friends to chat with Martin for few minutes at the very least. Often longer. Once they talked for two hours because Martin had a difficult flight the next day and he needed someone who was willing to listen and who would understand what he's talking about. Douglas made that lending over a dozen times, he got vaguely bored of the subject quickly enough, but he misses Martin and misses Martin needing him. What he did in his lonely bed after they ended the conversation, the memory of Martin's voice still fresh in his mind, that was no one's business but his.

Douglas often thinks about marriage, sometimes not entirely out of his own will.

"Do you think you will get married again, Douglas?"

Of course, most people are too polite to just bring it up. It is a passing joke or half a remark whenever he expresses an interest in someone, but no one blatantly asks. Well, no one but Arthur.

"I rather think that's behind me now. Why? Is marriage on your mind, my young fella?"

"Sort of," Arthur shrugs. "I've been with Katie for a long time now."

Douglas is briefly stumped, while he knows that Arthur dates - a shocking bit of knowledge but one he digested a long time ago - the idea of him actually marrying someone... settling down... Well, that's quite mindblowing.

"Well, that is certainly one way to go from there."

"No, I don't mean like right now. She is brilliant, but I don't think mum would be happy if I just proposed without thinking properly about that."

"No, I don't think she would be." Douglas can't wait for Carolyn to hear this news and silently blesses Arthur's chattiness which gave Douglas a unique opportunity to look calm and collected when everyone else will splatter.

"But I was just thinking because I've never been with anyone for more than a year! And it's been almost two! And she's really brilliant and has the best ideas and loves me and doesn't mind that I'm ace... She was brilliant about it! And she gives the best hugs... I just think maybe, you know, in the future. And I thought I'd ask you about marriage, I mean you had three of them!"

"Herc just had his fifth!" Douglas points out bitterly.

"Well, yeah, but he's married to mom! He will tell her everything. And it's not a secret!" Arthur assures quickly. "But it's not anything yet so she doesn't have to know."

"That is a very logical argument, Arthur."

"Thanks. So, why won't you marry again?"

Douglas sighs. Arthur is apparently on the trope and like a dog with a bone, with true un-Arthurian determination, he was refusing to obediently follow any distraction. 

"I don't think relationships are exactly for me, Arthur," Douglas replies, surprising himself with the honesty. "I seem to start losing the interest, so to speak, as soon as the deal is sealed and my affections are returned. I don't think I would like to go through that again. It's far too much mess for a man my age."

He grins self-mockingly and hopes for the best. It would work with Martin too.

Arthur, to Douglas' great grief, is not Martin.

"So you're like lithromantic?"

Douglas blinks in surprise.

"I have no idea what that is, and I'm quite frankly shocked that you do. And that you can say a word that long."

Arthur waves him off, clearly not offended. Actually seeming to brighten up as if he was offered a compliment.

"I read _a lot_ when Katie and I talked about how I don't like sex and don't want it and it's okay, she told me all about asexuality and we read more together and there were all those complicated words, but I liked learning them, because I thought I never had a word and I thought it's just me being me and maybe it wasn't really okay, you know? So maybe when I heard someone talking about that I could have a word for them and they will feel better too!"

"Oh?" offers Douglas weakly. He can't remember when was the last time he had as little control of a conversation as he does now, but he's pretty sure it involved Arthur as well.

"Yeah! And there was a word, I'm pretty sure it was lithromantic, I remember because I thought it sounded funny, like your romantic for a leaf, and it's like that, that you fall in love with someone, but when they return your feelings it disappears."

"Huh," Douglas hums thoughtfully, he's not sure whether he should trust Arthur on his vocabulary skills, but the concept is somewhat comforting. Still, he really doesn't want to get stuck with Arthur Shappey trying to figure out his romantic life or whatever he got into now, a stronger distraction is very much required. "Well, that confirms I'm no expert on making a good marriage, but I am, of course, at your service regarding the grand proposal!"

"Oh! Brilliant! Because I was thinking it has to be super brilliant, you know? So she will want to say yes. Not that I want her to say yes because there will be a lot of balloons, but it couldn't hurt, right?"

"Of course," assures Douglas, barely listening to the ideas that seem to involve copious amount of food and somehow also polar bears and maybe an airplane. 

After checking the autopilot is still doing a marvelous job, Douglas discreetly pulls out his phone and puts lithromantic in the search engine. He doesn't need a definition for anything, of course, but still, it's good to check your facts.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/works/lordnochybaty.tumblr.com) or come to [my aspec sideblog](http://acesthetically-pleasing.tumblr.com/) for more aspec goodies :)


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